Big win becomes ‘surreal’ prize for Iowa lottery player — and his dog
One dog in Iowa soon will receive an upgrade to her backyard — thanks to their owner’s luck playing the lottery.
Brett Sersland, 33, couldn’t believe he scratched off a $50,000 prize on a $5 “Joker’s Wild” ticket, he told lottery officials in an April 11 news release. Now his dog, Reese’s, will reap the benefits of the “surreal” prize.
Sersland says he will spend the winnings on a project to enclose his backyard with a fence, which will allow his Rottweiler mix to “run around and be more free,” he told Iowa lottery officials.
He also plans to use some of the winnings to fix up his car.
Sersland bought his winning $5 ticket at Kwik Star in Waukon, according to lottery officials. He was the first person to win a top $50,000 prize from the “Joker’s Wild” game.
Waukon is about a 100-mile drive north from Cedar Rapids.
This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 7:50 AM with the headline "Big win becomes ‘surreal’ prize for Iowa lottery player — and his dog."
